Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of two anticancer drugs, everolimus and pasireotide, in patients with thyroid cancer when the cancer is no longer responding to treatment with radioiodine or where it is deemed unsafe for the patient to receive additional radioiodine treatment. The investigators also want to establish the best manner of taking the two medications when used together to treat thyroid cancer. In particular, the investigators want to know if it is better to give both at the same time or add a second medication after the first one has stopped working.

This study will also look at specific substances called biomarkers in your blood, and in the tumor tissue which are involved in the growth of tumor cells, and determine if the levels of these biomarkers are related to your response to treatment or development of side effects.

Everolimus, also known by the brand name, Afinitor, is a biologic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of kidney cancer. It works by preventing cancer cells from multiplying and it also makes them more likely to die from the treatment.

Pasireotide also known by the name, SOM230 is a new medication that is not yet approved by the FDA for the treatment of cancer. It is a newer form of a drug called octreotide, which is approved for the treatment of cancer arising from endocrine organs. Pasireotide works by binding to a protein called somatostatin receptor, which is expressed in many tissues throughout the body including thyroid cancer cells. Pasireotide prevents the action of somatostatin by binding to these receptors.